Milan Benches Pulisic for Parma to Aid Recovery

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri opted to bench Christian Pulisic for Saturday's Serie A match against Parma, prioritizing the American forward's recovery from a recent hamstring injury despite his return to full training. The decision comes as Milan prepares for a demanding schedule, including the November 23 derby against Inter Milan, while the 27-year-old winger was also excluded from the U.S. men's national team's upcoming friendlies to focus on regaining fitness.

Pulisic sustained the low-grade hamstring injury on October 17 during a U.S. national team friendly against Australia, where he was substituted after 30 minutes. The setback sidelined him for nearly a month, causing him to miss four Milan fixtures, including victories over Fiorentina and Roma. Prior to the injury, the winger had been in strong form, contributing six goals in eight appearances across all competitions and helping Milan extend an unbeaten run to 10 games.

Allegri confirmed Pulisic's availability during a prematch press conference on Friday, noting the player's progress after two full training sessions. "He's doing well physically and won't need much work to regain fitness because of his...